MBSS Site Summary for: RKGR-101-A-2012

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site RKGR-101-A-2012-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site RKGR-101-A-2012-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on ROCKY GORGE RESERVOIR UT in the Rocky Gorge Dam watershed, 8-digit code: 02131107.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/26/2012 and again in the summer on 7/2/2012.

Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) Results:

An Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is a scientific tool used to identify and classify stream health. An IBI associates anthropogenic influences on a stream or with biological condition in the stream, and is formulated using data developed from biosurveys.
Details on the development and application of MBSS IBIs are in this document.
Fish IBI Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Good - 4.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 863 acres A stream flowing through a densely forested area. An example of a forested stream.
Urban Land Use 12 %
Agricultural Land Use 38.6 %
Forested Land Use 46.6 %


Stream showing woody debris, logs, and rocky substrate.
An example of woody debris in a stream.

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 16/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 12/20 (Suboptimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 61 meters 		16/20 (Optimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 24 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Shading 80 %
Embeddedness 40 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.48
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		696.8 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.3152 mg/L

Biological Stream Condition:

Surveys of the organisms living within a stream can give indications of stream health. Species richness, or the number of different species present, as well as indicator species (species whose presence, absence or abundance can serve as a measure of environmental conditions) are informative for stream health. 		Close-up of a mayfly indicator species.

Fish Survey Results:
The following 11 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Blue Ridge Sculpin 95
Green Sunfish 39
White Sucker 22
Creek Chub 19
Yellow Bullhead 16
Bluegill 12
Rosyside Dace 8
Blacknose Dace 6
Longnose Dace 5
Tessellated Darter 4
Brown Bullhead 3
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog

Crayfish:
Cambarus bartonii bartonii
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Porcelainberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Amphinemura Spring Stonefly 26
Ephemerella Sulphur Mayfly 20
Simulium Black Fly 12
Dolophilodes Medium Evening Sedge Caddisfly 11
Polypedilum Non-Biting Midges 11
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 4
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 3
EMPIDIDAE Dance Fly 3
HEPTAGENIIDAE Flathead Mayfly 2
NAIDIDAE Aquatic Worm 2
Anchytarsus Beetle 2
Eurylophella Mayfly 2
Hydrobaenus Midge 2
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
PERLODIDAE Perlodid Stonefly 2
ELMIDAE Riffle Beetle 2
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
LEUCTRIDAE Rolledwinged Stonefly 1
Rheotanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Tanytarsus Non-Biting Midges 1
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 1
Leuctra  Rolled-Winged Stonefly 1
GOMPHIDAE Clubtail Dragonfly 1
Acroneuria Golden Stoneflies 1
Haploperla Green Stonefly 1
Wormaldia Fingernet Caddisfly 1
Kick net sampling for macroinvertebrates.
Sampling with a kick net.

Information disclaimer: The information and data on this page is for guidance and general planning purposes only. It should not be used to make decisions on specific matters.